New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-29
Explosion IN 4 POWDER MILL.
THREE woRKMEN BLOWN TO ATOMS.

THREE MIN woUNDED-TwO CAvAL-BOATs STAYED
N-rwo BUILDINGS UTTERLY DESTROYED.
Two of the milis-the drying mill and the spare mill
belonging to the Latin q Rand Powder MIL situated at
Mountain View, Passac County, N j. blew up yesterday
morning shortly after o'clock Charles Sitter. August
Karouse and John Cave employed In the drying
mill filling the cylinders with powder 1t Is estimated
that there were about three tons Of powder In the dry
ing mill. The latter not running, but Immediately
after dinner the process drying the powder which Is
done by tho Injection OF hot air into the cylinders, was
to be begun. Tho cylinders about onehalf filed
with powder when the explosion occurred.
The mill and all its contents blown several hun
dred feet Into the air, and coming down spread
OF half mile square. The largest piece OF a
human body found the lower part of the skull Of
John Cave to which portion OF the shoulder blade
still hanging This lay about 1000 feet from the scene
of the explosion Not far from this foand portion
OF human foot. piece OF vertebre with portions OF
rib and human These the only recognizable
portions OF human bodies that found The OF
bodies Of the killed lay scattered the ed torn
into small shreds The hinge tmbers OF which the mill
composed and the heavy iron cylinders broken
into thousands Of pieces and lay scattered about in adj
joining fields.
James H. Gardner, the foreman. struck in the head
with piece OF iron while crossing the field the dry
Ing mill John Young, the engineer In charge OF the
engine house nearby struck in head by piece
OF timber and James Yonng who had charge OF the
CINE which furnishes motive power for the press and
corning mills. scalded by the explosion OF steam
pipe his head. The building In which he is dis
tsnt fully 900 feet from the mill where the explosion
occurred but shock great enou-h to the
steam pipe TO explode. None Of these Is seriously
injured
The ground In the neighborhood OF tho explosion
shaken for miles around At the main Office OF the build
Ing situated thrcequarters OF mile from tho OF
the xpOsIon nearly all the glass and window sashes
broken Near this office two canalboats lay in
basin of the Morris Canal The shock knocked their
heads together aud stove in their cabins
Probably 1000 feet from the drying mill stood the
spare mill This mill Is used In others out OF
order or when there Is great demand Tor powder 1t
had not been used In several months and there
dust which finds its way into all the
creviccs OF powder mills There was, however enough
OF this to the total destruction OF the building The
explosion here Is supposed to have been caused by the
shock from the xplosion IN the dry ing-m.
As the OF the explosion spread about the
country. people began TO flock TO the Few werc
however permitted to where the were
employed with bags I'm their hands picking the sreds OF
the anged b0lies from between the daisies ald grass
In the fields. Strangers not permitted t0 wander
about the mills for the least negligence might cause an
other Disaster Coroner Hopson or Paterson took charge
OF the and Will make an Investigation.
II said at the office OF the company. No 30 Murray
the OF the explosion woud probably never
be known as the who when II took place
killed Notwithstanding tho accident, the company
will be able to NIL all orders II has eight other mills In
active operation. The mills which destroyed were
used In tho manufacture of blasting powder and were
valued at 81 900 The entire loss is placed by the com
pauy ut $4,000.